Forceps are commonly used during surgery and allow the manipulation of tissue without requiring the surgeon to use their hands to directly manipulate the tissue. Forceps also allow manipulation of tissue that is inaccessible by other means.
Forceps are generally adapted to best serve a particular function. Types of forceps known in the art include artery forceps, haemostatic forceps, dressing forceps, splinter forceps, obstetrical forceps, tubing forceps and tissue forceps. In some surgical techniques, forceps are used to manipulate not just tissue but also other surgical instruments. Forceps may also be used to clamp a tissue, for example an artery, during surgery, to grasp suture needles without causing damage, to assist in the delivery of a baby, or may be used in laparoscopic surgery. An example of forceps used in laparoscopic surgery includes those described in WO 2006/075153, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Traditional forceps are usually hinged, either at one end or in the middle of the forceps. Forceps can also be either non-locking or locking. Non-locking forceps are also referred to as thumb forceps and can be hinged at the end or in the middle. Examples of non-locking forceps hinged at the end include those described in WO 2007/121238, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Locking forceps are usually hinged in the middle. Some types of forceps are hinged near the grasping end (the grasping end being the end of the forceps that engages with the tissue or surgical instrument to be manipulated).
The part of the forceps that is used to grasp the tissue, surgical instrument or other material often consists of two flat blunt blades which can grasp the object without causing damage. Alternatively the grasping end of the forceps may be adapted according to their particular use, for example taking biopsies of tissue. Examples of this type of forceps include those described in WO 2008/101497, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A trocar is a sharp surgical instrument that is used to pierce tissues. Trocars are often used in conjunction with cannulae (tubes) as a way of introducing an opening into a tissue or organ, for example into a vein for the administration of intravenous medication. Trocars may also be used to relieve a build up of pressure inside a tissue.
Trocars may be adapted to interact with other surgical instruments. For example, WO 2009/137761 describes a trocar needle, the penetrating tip of the trocar being at the distal end portion and the proximal end portion being insertable into the anvil part of a surgical stapler, for example a circular anastomosis stapler apparatus.
End-to-end anastomosis surgical staplers are used to connect together biological tissues, for example following resection. These staplers can be used to reattach two pieces of bowel following the removal of a diseased portion. The first part of the bowel is attached to an anvil. The anvil is then docked onto the stapler part of the stapler apparatus and positioned such that when the stapler is activated, the two pieces of bowel become reattached with one or more rows of staples in a circular arrangement.
Staplers have also been used in stoma formation. A stoma is an artificial opening between two hollow organs or between one hollow organ and the outside of the body, constructed to permit the passage of body fluids or waste products.
Example surgical staplers include those described in WO 2004/089255 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,167.
However, docking of the anvil onto the stapler can be difficult, since the anvil is generally inside a patient's abdomen. This makes manipulation of the anvil problematic, particularly in laparoscopic approaches where entry points into a patient's body are minimal. As a result, several incisions are usually required in order to gain access to the relevant parts of the patient's anatomy. In addition, the use of several different devices is often required to ensure docking of the anvil onto the stapler, and unnecessary damage may be caused to the patient when attempting to dock a stapler anvil onto a stapler. It is also impossible for the surgeon to visualise the docking of the anvil onto the stapler since docking usually occurs inside the patient.
Accordingly, there remains in the art a need for a surgical device that enables manipulation of other surgical devices, such as surgical stapler anvils, whilst reducing damage caused to surrounding tissue and reducing the number of surgical devices that need to be used at once.